On 7 February 2017 Decree with the Force of Law No 686 was issued by the Turkish Government. According to this decree, 4,464 persons who were working for the public were expelled. 893 persons were expelled from the Gendarme General Command, 417 persons were expelled from police forces, 49 persons are expelled from the Ministry of Interior, 10 persons were expelled from the Court of Appeals, 10 persons were expelled from Supreme Election Committee, 88 persons were expelled from Radio and Television Institution of Turkey, 48 persons were expelled from the Foreign Ministry, 330 persons were expelled from Council of High Education and 15 persons were expelled from the Ministry of Economics. In addition to these 2585 teacher from the Ministry of Education and 330 academics were also expelled. Of these 330 academics, 115 are the signees of the peace declaration. One of our founders, Prof. of Psychiatry Cem Kaptanoglu, was expelled.

(02/059) Hunger Strike in Prison…

According to the news appeared in the press on 7 February 2017, 93 political prisoners who are being held in Sakran T Type Prison No 3 stated a hunger strike to protest the arbitrary rule of the prison administration and increased violations of rights.

(02/060) HDP Urfa MP Dilek Ocalan Detained…

On 7 February 2017, HDP Urfa MP Dilek Ocalan was detained at Ataturk Airport on the basis of an arrest warrant. Ocalan was taken to Bakirkoy Courthouse. After her testimony was taken, she was released.

(02/061) Co-Mayors Detained…

On 7 February 2017, Abdulgaffar Ruzgar and Suheyla Bungul, the Co-Mayors of Gorumlu Sub District which is attached to Silopi district of Sırnak, were detained by the police forces during a house raid.

(02/062) Human Rihgts Advocate Detained…

On 7 February 2017, Chair of Erzurum Branch of Human Rights Association Medeni Aygul was detained by the police forces in Azize district of Erzurum. His house was also searched by the police.

(02/063) Academics Arrested…

On 6 February 2017, 33 academics from Istanbul Technical University were detained within the context of ‘FETO/PDY Investigation.’ Of these 33 persons, 11 were released with a judicial control condition; 22 were arrested for ‘being a member of an illegal organisation.”

(02/064) Lawyers Arrested…

On 5 February 2017, out of 95 detainees 22 were arrested within the context of “FETO/PDY Investigation.” According to the news appeared in the press, they are lawyers of the defendants who were sued in relation with “FETO/PDY Investigations.”

(02/065) HDP Sırnak MPs Aycan Irmez and Ferhat Encü on trial…

Silopi Civil Court of First Instance No 1 started on 7 February 2017 the case against HDP Sırnak MPs Aycan Irmez and Ferhat Encü. Irmez was present at the hearing and Encü participated the hearing via Information System for Sound and Vision (SEGBİS) from Kandıra F Type Prison. After the testimonies of the defendants and of their lawyers, court adjourned the hearing to 5 May 2017.

(02/066) CHP Istanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu on Trial…

İstanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No 42 started on 7 February 2017 the case against People’s Republican Party (CHP) Istanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced for ‘insulting a civil public official because of his duty with words and acts that can harm dignity and honor.’ In the indictment, it alleged that during 2013 Gezi Events Tanrıkulu had said “shameless” to a high rank police officer. The court adjourned the hearing to May 2017.

(02/067) KJA Spoke-person Ayla Akat Ata on Trial…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 5 continued on 7 February 2017 the case against Ayla Akat Ata, the publisher of magazine Kongreye Jinen Azad (KJA) and former MP, and Helin Tolan, the chief editor of the magazine. The indictment wants the defendants to be sentenced for ‘making propaganda of an illegal organisation’ in the March-April 2016 issue of the magazine. Ata participated the hearing via SEGBIS from Kandıra F Type Prison No 1. After the defenses of the defendants and of the lawyer, the court adjourned the hearing to May 2017.

(02/068)KJA Spoke-person Ayla Akat Ata on Trial…

Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Court No 5 continued on 7 February 2017 the case against Ayla Akat Ata, the publisher of magazine Kongreye Jinen Azad (KJA) and former MP. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced for participating the funeral of a PKK militant. Ata participated the hearing via SEGBIS from Kandıra F Type Prison No 1. The court decided to listen to the then chief of police who had lodged a complaint against Ata via SEGBİS. The chief of police in question had been expelled from his office. The court adjourned the hearing.

(02/069) Eren Keskin on Trial…

Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No 2 continued on 7 February 2017 the case against Eren Keskin, the former chief editor of Ozgur Gundem which was closed down by a Decree with the Force of Law and a human rights advocate. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced for ‘insulting the Government of Turkish Republic, judicial institutions, military or police organisation publicly’, ‘insulting Turkish nation, the republic and Grand National Assembly of Turkey publicly.’ After the defense, the court adjourned the hearing to 16 May 2017.

(02/70) Chair of Disk On Trial for ‘ınsulting the Head of the State’…

Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No 2 continued on 7 February 2017 the case against Chair of Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK) Kani Beko and the former chief editor of daily Zaman Harun Reşit Çümen. The case was opened due to Beko’s statement on the Suruc bomb attack massacre. After the defenses, the court dropped the case because the necessary conditions for investigation and prosecution were not met.

(02/071) Ayhan Çarkın on Trial for ‘Insulting the Head of State’…

Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance No 8 continued on 7 February 2017 the case against Ayhan Carkin, a former Police Special Forces member. Carkin had been also convicted in the Susurluk case. The indictment wants the defendant to be sentenced for ‘insulting the Head of the State.’ After the reading of the indictment and the defense, the court sentenced Carkın 11 months and 20 day’s imprisonment. And court, taking into consideration the time he was in jail, released him.

(02/072) Trustee Appointed to Municipality…

On 7 February 2017, Ministry of Interior appointed Yusuf Turhan, sub-governor of Kocakoy, as a trustee to Kocakoy District Municipality in Diyarbakir province. The total number of trustees appointed to municipalities governed mayors from Democratic Regions Party (DBP) reached the number of 69.

(02/073) Co-Mayor Dismissed…

Yusuf Turhan, the Co-Mayor of Esendere Sub-Distirct Municipality of Yuksekova, was dismissed by Ministry of Interior on 7 February 2017.

[i] The reports on the human rights violations of the Documentation Center are claims unless they are certified. The claim of violation either is certified through thoroughly investigations of HRFT Documentation Center, including by judicial verdicts, and becomes a definite data or it is not included to the annual report.

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